Various forms of rod weeders heretofore have been provided for use in conjunction with various ground preparation implements, but most of these previously known forms of rod weeders include extensive drive trains and are not functional to automatically seek, generally, a predetermined operating depth independent of the operating depth of the associated ground preparation implement earthworking components. Further, most previously known forms of rod weeders which are partially functional to seek a predetermined operating depth include components subject to clogging by soil, requiring considerable maintenance and unable to predetermine a specific path of "floating movement." Accordingly, a need exists for an improved form of rod weeder which will be capable of automatically seeking a predetermined operating depth, which will not be subject to clogging and which utilizes a relatively simple drive train and which will afford a "floating movement" only along a specific predetermined path of movement.
Examples of previously known forms of rod weeders, including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,596,270, 2,767,631, 2,886,113, 3,108,642, 3,186,494, 3,283,830, 3,360,053, 3,735,816, 3,768,425 and 4,171,723.